Indian police briefly detained opposition leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday amid protests demanding the resignation of the Election Commission chief over a large-scale revision of voter lists. Gandhi, a senior figure in the main opposition Congress Party, was seen standing on a police barricade waving the national flag before being detained along with other lawmakers; all were released shortly afterward.
The ongoing revision of electoral rolls, initiated in 2025, has sparked controversy, with critics alleging irregularities in the process and accusing the Election Commission of acting under the influence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Opposition figures claim the revisions have disproportionately impacted marginalized and minority communities, particularly Muslims, potentially disenfranchising millions of eligible voters.
On Tuesday, opposition members attempted to march from parliament to the Election Commission’s headquarters but were stopped by a heavy police presence. Gandhi and his sister, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, later stayed inside the premises of the public radio building adjacent to the commission’s offices. From there, Gandhi accused the Modi government of effectively "hijacking" the country through vote theft, describing the situation as "treason."
Representatives of the BJP have denied these allegations, with spokesperson Sambit Patra accusing the Congress and other opposition groups of deliberately undermining India’s democratic institutions to advance their political ambitions. He characterized the protests as an effort to unseat the current government and install Rahul Gandhi in power.
The controversy intensified following a report by a national newspaper last month, revealing that two of the three Election Commission members had lodged multiple formal objections to key decisions about the voter list revisions. The report stated that approximately 130 million names had been removed from the electoral rolls since the revision began. Protesters have carried placards demanding the resignation of Election Commission chief Gyanesh Kumar, whose office has not publicly addressed the allegations.
The Election Commission maintains that the revision exercise aims to ensure the accuracy of the voter lists by removing fraudulent registrations and preventing voting by “foreign illegal immigrants.” However, opposition parties continue to call for greater transparency and accountability in the process.
Alongside established political parties, a youth-led satirical movement known as the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which gained prominence after successfully campaigning against a former education minister, has urged mass protests in the capital planned for Saturday. Several left-wing student organizations have also pledged to participate in these demonstrations.
Meanwhile, India’s Supreme Court has ordered the government and the Election Commission to provide explanations regarding the voter list revisions. Further hearings are scheduled for next week as the legal and political fallout from the dispute continues to unfold.